People Ended Their Lives in 6 Months Under California's New Right-to-Die Law

The Department of Public Health must gather information on those who take or seek taking these aid-in-dying drugs.

In California, 87 percent of those who died from the lethal drugs were aged 60 years or older and 90 percent were white. Between then and December 31 of previous year, "191 individuals received aid-in-dying drugs under the EOLA, and 111 people died following ingestion of the prescribed drugs", writes the California Department of Public Health.

During that period, 191 people who had six months or fewer to live received life-ending prescriptions.

Writing the lethal prescriptions is completely voluntary for doctors and medical facilities, and some, including all Catholic and church-affiliated hospitals, have not allowed their physicians to prescribe such medicines.

Majority were white, college educated, had health insurance provided by either private or state carriers, and were receiving hospice or palliative care. "In California, terminally ill patients committed to mental institutions can request assisted suicide and be released so they can kill themselves".

A snapshot of the patients who took advantage of the law mirrors what's been seen in OR, which was the first state to legalize the practice almost two decades ago.

State officials warn that people should be cautious in drawing hasty conclusions from this report, as it only covers six months of data.

At the time, OR was one of the only states that allowed physician-assisted suicide, including Vermont and Washington.

Whitaker stated: "The state's data show that even during the early months of the law's implementation, the law was working well and terminally ill Californians were able to take comfort in knowing that they had this option to peacefully end intolerable suffering". "We had to move to OR for her to have a gentle passing", Diaz said.

A similar law has been in place in neighboring OR since 1997. Also, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, and realized his body won't let him continue with his life the way he was used to.

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